And here we go again..

Let me begin this by saying that I found out this week how important it is to me to spend time with the students during each school day. Turns out this office lady needs those students perhaps just a bit more than they need her...

The first week of school is ridiculous. At least from the standpoint of this office lady. Plenty of paper-pushing, phone ringing, parent/child angst-ridden moments...enough, in fact, to share with all your friends and neighbors. Not that anyone in their right mind would share in this joy, mind you. Job security, that's for sure.

What was missing for me this week was the time I need to connect with the kids. There always seems to be a group of students that claim the office ladies and the office as their "safe place". They drop their backpack behind my desk. They plop down in one of the chairs near my desk or Debbie's (the other office lady) and fill us in on their day/life/drama. They just generally include us in on their lives. We are the non-threatening adults in their lives. We represent stability. We are known quantities. We love them, and they know it. We have boundaries, and they know that too. For the most part, they respect the boundaries...and if they don't, that's our first clue that they might be in "crisis mode".

I'm rambling. What I want to say is this: This week I wasn't myself. I was the efficient Office Lady, busy providing the district office what they needed. They got their count every day at or before 2:00 pm. Phones were answered. Parents and students were reassured that there was a spot for them in our program. Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork made it's annual migration across my desk.

The kids didn't get their office lady. By day two...they were asking me what was wrong with me. They were being advised by Debbie and the principal to leave me alone so that I could do the work that needed to be done. They kept checking in, but the exchanges were mostly one-sided. They gave me encouragement...but got little or nothing in return. By day three and four, the kids were telling me that things would be ok soon.

You know what? They're right, and I love them for it.

The efficient Office Lady will now take a back seat (perhaps even go into hibernation until next year when the district office needs her again) - and the "tell it like it is, ask the tough questions, butt kicking/name taking office lady" will resume her position in the lives of these kids. I'll get what I need out of this whole deal...and they might also...

Now that is real job security.